Unrequited
by Rebecca Parker
Summary: Neville's got a crush on Hermione. First time Harry Potter author here, so feedback would be appreciated.


TITLE: Unrequited (1/1)

AUTHOR: Rebecca Parker 

EMAIL: NumfarGal@aol.com 

RATING: G 

PAIRING: (Unrequited) Neville/Hermione

FEEDBACK: Please! This is my first HP fic, and I just kinda hammered this out while bugging a friend today at work. Feedback would be much appreciated!

DISCLAIMER: The very talented JK Rowlings owns all. 

DISTRIBUTION: Don't know why anyone would, but just ask first.. 

DEDICATION: To SWMF, for putting up with me when writing this and telling me that it didn't suck. Such a recommendation :) 

Neville hung around the side of the hallway, nervously peering out to see if she was coming yet. She had Ancient Runes first, and she always stayed behind to discuss how to better her grades with Professor Sprout. Neville didn't know why; Hermione had far better grades than anyone at Hogwarts, and she knew it too. 

He tensed up as he saw her coming his way, and he tried to look like he was busy doing something. Unfortunately, in his haste to look busy, he tripped over his robes and fell to the ground, banging his chin hard. 

"Neville!" Hermione called out, racing over to where he had fallen and dropping her books beside him. "Really Neville, you should be more careful. One more injury and Madame Pomfrey is going to ban you from the Infirmary." 

Neville blushed; he hated that she knew what a klutz he was. He picked himself up, frowning down at the rip on his gown. "Sorry," he stammered. He picked his books up and stared at her. "Thank you." 

"It's OK," Hermione said. "I just hate to see you always giving Malfoy reason to pick on you. You know he takes every chance he gets." 

"I know," Neville said, embarrassed that anything he said seemingly would not be longer than one or two words. "I better go," he said, patting himself on the back for mustering three words this time. 

"I'll walk to class with you," Hermione said, starting to travel down the corridor. "I'm really not looking forward to it.' She scowled. She always looked forward to class, and she despised Snape for causing that change. "I know he's a Professor and I must respect him, but he really is insufferable lately." 

"It's because of Slytherin," Neville said. Four words now. He smiled to himself. Progress. "They're so behind for the Cup." 

"Of course they are," Hermione answered, waving to Cho as they passed her in the hall. "Crabb and Goyle got caught hanging you upside down during dinner the other night. Were you alright, by the way? I never got to ask." 

"Uh huh," Neville answered, embarrassed that he had seen him like that. He didn't want to think what he looked like upside down. He was sure he was bad enough right side up. 

"You know I would have done something if McGonagall hadn't come up," she said, clutching her books to her chest. "I hate to see them treat you like that. If they knew about you-" 

"Knew about me?" Neville asked, confused. 

"How brave you really are," Hermione said. "Honestly, Neville! You don't give yourself enough credit. Who singlehandedly won Gryffindor the Cup the first year?" 

"My ten points wouldn't have helped much without yours, Ron's and Harry's," he said, shrugging. "Everybody realized that."

"Well then, everybody's wrong," Hermione said. "Except for me. I always knew how important you were." 

Neville stopped in his tracks, reached down and pinched himself. Was Hermione really complimenting him or was this Malfoy's latest trick- to put some spell on him to make him think the girl he liked actually liked him back? Maybe it was really Moaning Myrtle, made out to look like Hermione. He wasn't sure, but it definitely couldn't be Hermione Granger, the smartest and bravest girl in school. 

"Are you feeling alright?" Neville asked as they arrived outside of class. "You're sounding very strange." 

"What?" Hermione asked, laughing. "Really Neville! I sound just fine. Maybe I should do a self esteem spell on you." 

Neville could only shrug. He didn't know how to answer that. If he admitted that he needed one, he would be proving that he needed one, and that wasn't something he wanted to do. Truth be told, everything was confusing Neville right now, including his own thoughts. He felt as tangled as he was when Malfoy did the Pretzel spell on him.

"Well," Hermione said, sighing at her friend. "I guess we should go inside. We don't need to give Snape another reason to take points from Gryffindor. You know he'll take any chance he can get to make up ground for Slytherin."

"You're right," Neville said, looking inside the room and frowning at Snape, who was hovering over his desk. "It's going to be cold in there today. Are you sure that sweater's enough?" he asked, looking over to Hermione. 

"I suppose," Hermione said, shrugging. "I've gotten used to being cold. If not from the air, from Snape himself. Dreadful man," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. 

"I wonder what Snape would think of that," Malfoy said, stepping out from behind Hermione. "I'm sure he'd find Gryffindor to be quite disrespectful." 

Hermione frowned at him, her shoulders pulled back. "You're not going to threaten me," she answered back. "I don't know why you even bother." 

Malfoy sneered at the two of them. "How cute, the two of you. Offering her your sweater, are you Neville? I bet you try out the lines on your toad first, don't you?" 

"He didn't offer me his sweater," Hermione said, looking to Neville. "He's just a friend. And really, it's none of your business anyway. And I wouldn't be jealous, Malfoy. I'm sure the toad only has eyes for you." 

Neville frowned. He knew he should be happy that Hermione was standing up for him, but somehow her words hurt more than helped. "Just a friend," she had said. He sighed. "Let's just go to class." It was a great statement that he'd rather hear Snape than more of this conversation right now.

Malfoy laughed. "Oh look," he said, grinning. "You hurt the poor boy's feelings." He passed by Hermione, muttering "I'd rather kiss the toad then you, anyway."

Neville was surprised to see Hermione look upset by his comment; he didn't think she let anything that jerk say get to her. But, on her face, he saw something there that seemed familiar. He saw unrequited affection. He sighed, annoyed at how typical this situation was. "I'll see you later," he said, passing by her and walking into the class.

Hermione grabbed for Neville's arm as he moved past her. "I'm sorry," she said, and he turned back to her. 

"What for?" he asked. 

She opened her mouth and then the strangest thing happened. She didn't have an answer. Hermione Granger, top student at Hogwarts didn't have an answer. 

Neville nodded. "See you," he said, walking into the class and past Snape, cowering a bit as he passed him. He made his way over to his seat and slumped down in it. 

Hermione walked inside after him and sat down next to Ron. "Neville's acting really strangely. Do you think when they hung him upside down that things shifted around inside somehow?

"You're asking me?" Ron asked, opening his book and lowering his voice to a whisper. "What's he done that's so strange?" 

Hermione sighed, fiddling with her quill. "I think he likes me."


End file.
